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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22802410">Everywhere a Grave</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/idraax/pseuds/Writingfish'>Writingfish (idraax)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Quan Zhi Gao Shou, 全职高手 | The King's Avatar (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rape Recovery, Somewhat Graphic Imagery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:40:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22802410</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/idraax/pseuds/Writingfish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An incident reverberates across the Pro Glory community and all of a sudden their avatars are walking around in the flesh. Meanwhile, Sun Xiang and One Autumn Leaf have bigger problems to worry about.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Everywhere a Grave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I was in the mood for trauma and, also, I got laid off, so....I apologize in advance.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first thing One Autumn Leaf noticed was the blood. It stained the floor, thinned out as it seemed to reach towards him. The next was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>sound</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Grunts and bitten off whimpers sounded like gunshots in his ears. Finally, there was the sight before him. Pale skin on display with blooming bruises, shaking fingers clawing at thick hands and the place where two shades of skin blended together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The world descended into a red haze. Shock washed away, scorching anger taking its place. Dimly, he remembered screaming, a loud crunching sound, the feel of trembling skin beneath his fingers and the blood-red haze overlaying it all.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>One Autumn Leaf had known this was coming. He'd heard it mentioned amongst the other spirits, especially those that belonged to a pro Glory team. But he hadn't expected it to happen to </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had been performing well. It was the other members of the team who had issues. They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then that he first tested the boundaries of the world. He had felt his account card being handed over by a trembling hand and he flung all of his strength against the barrier, hurled all the spells he knew, but he was still forced to watch his master walk away.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The bruises looked worse in the bathroom light. Red handprints covered Sun Xiang's skin, formed a collar around his neck. There were impressions of teeth in his skin, scattered across his chest and dipping down towards his hips. The water was pink from the blood. One Autumn Leaf didn't even want to think about where it was coming from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sun Xiang's face was scrunched up in pain and One Autumn Leaf wondered whether or not the water was too hot, if he should have gotten someone else….thought about anything except the actual reason for the pain. For a long time, the only sound in the room was harsh breathing, then finally Sun Xiang spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you still here?" he asked quietly. His voice was rough, the words coming slowly, choppily. One Autumn Leaf wanted to tell him not to speak, to save his voice, but his throat was closed. He couldn't even find the words to form a single sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Water splashed gently as Sun Xiang shifted with a small hiss. One Autumn Leaf lurched forward, catching himself at the last minute. His hands hovered over the water, close enough that he could feel warmth faintly emanating from it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up, tried to find words again and noticed the state of Sun Xiang's hands. Most of his nails were broken, with bits of skin and blood caught underneath. Nausea twisted in him and he swallowed it down, stayed rooted to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry I was too late," he said finally, words dropping like stones into the silence.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lord Grim watched his brother. One Autumn Leaf was pacing back and forth in their shared space. His hands were clenched, nails almost breaking skin. Then, suddenly with a scream, he hefted his lance and hurled it at the barrier. The barrier rippled, glowing white for a moment before fading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Grim stepped forward, opening his mouth to say something. He didn't know how long his brother had been here, but it was long enough for sweat to run down his face and for him to be panting heavily. His brother shook like a small, stubborn leaf in a wild storm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop," Lord Grim said firmly, "you can't break it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One Autumn Leaf whirled around, his lance nearly stabbing Lord Grim in the chest if not for his reflexes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I need to!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One Autumn Leaf's fingers were bloodless on the lance. He was pale, but sweating heavily as if he was sick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brother turned back to the barrier, tried to physically punch the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop it!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air twisted about him as a ball of yellow light formed on his fingertips. It shaped itself into the familiar shape of a dragon. Lord Grim threw up a hand to shade his eyes from the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dragon glowed, a miniature sun in the dark. It was more powerful than it usually was as if his brother was pouring everything he had into it. Lord Grim took another step forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Brother, wait-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dragon flew forward, the light blinding, and the barrier shattered. Power unspooled from where the dragon had broken it, swept them both up in its wake. Someone was screaming; Lord Grim couldn't recognize the voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tide carried him through the gap between and tossed him up onto a linoleum floor in a brightly lit room. He got to his feet, gasping for breath and nearly tripped and choked on his own scarf as he met the eyes of the person in front of him. His current account holder, Ye Xiu.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>A strangled noise. Shushing. Murmured apologies. An open door with fluorescent light emanating from it. Water splashing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Su Mucheng crept towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," came a rough, thick voice, "I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't Sun Xiang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bitten off scream. More splashing noises. Silently, Su Mucheng bent down to unplug the lamp on the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know it hurts," said the stranger. "I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Su Mucheng picked up the lamp, silently stepped forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A harsh gasp. Another cry of pain and Su Mucheng stuck her head around the doorframe and into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Crash</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Pink water splashed everywhere. Metal pressed into her throat. A dying animal's gasp in the room. Su Mucheng froze, eyes wide and fixed on the bruised figure in the bathtub.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Sun Xiang</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were darkening handprints on his neck, along with teeth marks on his shoulders. There were bruises on his chest too, disappearing underneath the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her knees were wet. The room was cold. Bile rose in her throat. She could taste the sourness in the back of her mouth. She gulped it down, tried to speak. Her mouth was dry. Something sharp poked into her hands. They throbbed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A clattering noise. Creaking. The movement of air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She jerked backward, toppled over. Her hand curled around one of the scattered ceramic shards on the floor and she thrust it upwards. It shattered against black armor. It looked familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who</span>
  </em>
  <span> are you?" She picked up another shard, stepped forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of them froze. More water splashed as Sun Xiang tried to get out of the tub. She caught a glimpse of darkening handprints on his hips and had to swallow down more bile. A sharp hiss of pain and Sun Xiang slipped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A breeze and the stranger was </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>, apologizing as he lowered Sun Xiang back into the tub. Sun Xiang made another sound of pain and Su Mucheng pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocking it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm calling the police."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>No!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The raspy broken tone sent shivers down her spine. She froze, finger hovering over the call button.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They'll </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Sun Xiang said.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She hadn't even considered that. The media had their eyes on Excellent Era. This wouldn't be kept private for long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"…just want to forget," Sun Xiang whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at the stranger, who looked back at her helplessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Crunch</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>crunch</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Earlier, Su Mucheng had taken care not to step on the debris scattered on the floor. The crunching noises grew closer and the man next to her gestured at her to get back while he picked up his lance. She held her breath, moved closer to the bathtub. Sun Xiang tried to curl in on himself, wincing. She winced too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Dancing Rain stepped into view holding her cannon. She looked at them for a long moment before clicking the safety back on and swinging it behind her back. Next, to Su Mucheng, the man - and she couldn't deny it any longer - One Autumn Leaf, lowered his spear and sighed in relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dancing Rain," he said. "Do you know a healer?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Su Mucheng glanced at Sun Xiang. His eyes were closed, face still lined with pain. The water was still pink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully, she reached out a hand and tapped the side of the tub. Sun Xiang jerked, eyes flying open. He settled somewhat when he saw it was her but still looked at her with fear. She swallowed hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm calling Ye Xiu, okay?" She whispered. "He'll know what to do about -," here, she gestured to the avatars in front of them, who currently had their heads bent towards each other, whispering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sun Xiang followed her hand, eyes distant. She didn't want to know what he was seeing. The very thought of it made her stomach twist and the lower part of her pulse in fear. Eventually, he nodded very slowly. The action probably hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't mention anything," she said. "Just that One Autumn Leaf and Dancing Rain are here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Sun Xiang whispered. She had to lean in close to hear him, didn't think he should be talking at all. She wanted to call Ye Xiu, but he'd probably hear everything unspoken in her voice. She settled for a text instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did Lord Grim show up?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
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